Grapple.



Patented June 29, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

GRAPPLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10. 1915.

H. E. SKELTON.

l 6% 25K .SAAMPQ 9w.

' H. E. SKELTON.

GRAPPLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10, 1915.

Patentad June 29, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fig; 2-is a'section Fig. 3 is an elevation of the grapple with the- I -HARRY E. sxnmo'n, or :pnmnofr, MICHIGAN; enarrtnf i inaassa.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, HARRY E. SKELTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at De troit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Grapple, of which the following is a spec1- fication.

This invention relates to means for lifting blocks ofstone or other heavy material, and its object is to provide a grapple which may be readily adjuetedfor gripping blocks of different sizes, whose jaws shall exert-a maximum of grip in stress, and which engaged or disengaged;

This invention consists, in combination with a central frame, of, a pair of levers, adjustable pivots for; the levers mounted on the central frame,; and a pair of toggles slidablymounted on and guided by the central frame for forcing the lower arms of the levers toward each other.

This invention further consists in the-details of construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly pointed out in the claimsg i i In the drawings,,Figurej-1 i s-an elevation of this improved grapple with the jaws open. on'the' line 2'2 of Fig. 1.

jaws closed. Fig. 1 is a detail of a modified form of jaw.

Similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The central member or frame 1 is formed with a slot 2 and a head 3, inwhich is revoluble the screw 4 having right-handed threads on one end and left-handed threads on the other. Collars 5 may be secured to the screw on either side of the head 3' to prevent longitudinal movement of the screw. On this screw are mounted the nuts 6, preferably of considerable length, each having laterally projecting pins 7 on which the gripping levers are mounted. These levers may be formed of one or fit around the nuts 6, being provided with proper bearing holes for the pins 7-. Their short lower arms 8 are bent inwardly and provided with jaws 9 of any desiredform, mounted on the pins 10 carried, by the 8 if desired. By turning the screw 4: by means of a tool pplied to a squared end thereof, the distancebetween the pivots 7 may be varied. v

A yoke 14 extends down on both sides of Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed March 10, 1815- Serial No. 13,317.;

proportion to the lifting may be quickly and'easily more pieces, and

arms

Patented June 29, 1915,-

the, frame and; carries a this pin the inner ends of the links 16 of the noticed that the links 16 and extend on both sides arms 19. The its upper end and 22 are double on which are mounted the inner ends of the other-links 22 of the toggles,-

the links 16 and 22 being connected by the pins;2 3 on which rollers24 are mounted. Atthe lower end of the yoke 14, each of its sides is provided with a hole 25, through.

which and through the hole 26 in the frame 1. a pin 27 may be inserted to hold the parts 5 While the grapple is being shifted about intheposition shown in Fig. 1.

Without a load, the pin 27 will hold the levers in the position shown in -Fig. 1. When a blockof stone or other-heavy material is 80 3 rests on the-block and the jaws 9- are adjusted by; means ;of the screw 4, unti they approach the block-to-be to be li fted, the grapple is lowered over the same until the head lifted. The pin 27 is then withdrawn. The jaws 9 will move toward each other when the yoke 14, to which the hoisting cable is attached, is raised. This causes the pin to approach the pin and the pins 23 to move out, forcing the arms 19 away from each other and the jaws 9 toward each other against the block to be lifted, the limit of such movement being indicated in Fig. 3. Instead of the jaws 9 on the circular ends of the arms 8, I may secure spheres 30 to these arms, as indicated in F ig. 4 Thejaws'3-1 are formed with fingers 32 which may be bent parting from the spirit of my invention as set forth zinthe following claims.

I claim 1. An improved central member having a pin at its upper end, adouble ended screw mounted in its lower end, a nut on each end of the screw, a

gripping lever pivoted between its ends on pin15 near its lower; end, which pin is slidable in the slot 2. Out

of the framel and central frame has a pin 20 at;

grapple consisting of a each nut, a yoke movable longitudinally of the central member and having a pin at its lower end, and two pairs of connected toggle links, the links of each pair connecting at a point of engagement with the adjacent gripping lever, the inner end of one link of each pair being pivoted on the pincarried by the lower end of the yoke and the inner end of the other link .of each pair being pivoted 1 -on the pin carried by the upper end of the central member.

2. An improved grapple consisting of a central frame, a pair of gripping levers, an adjustable pivot for each of the levers mounted on the frame, and a pair of toggles slidably mounted on and guided by the frame for forcing the lower arms of the gripping levers .towardeach other, and means to actuate the toggles and lift the grapple.

3. An improved grapple consisting of a central frame, a pair of gripping levers, adjustable pivots for the levers mounted on the frame, and a pair of togglesslidablymounted on and guided by the frame for forcing the lower arms of the gripping levers toward each other, means to actuate the toggles and lift the grapple, and means for holding the gripping levers so that their lower arms are immovable relative to each other.

4. An improved grapple consisting of a central frame, a pair of gripping levers, adjustable pivots for the levers mounted on the frame, and a pair of toggles slidably mounted on and guided by the frame for forcing the lower arms of the gripping levers toward each other, and a yoke pivotally connected to said toggles and slidable on the central frame by means of which the levers are actuated and the grapple is lifted.

5. An improved grapple consisting of a central frame, a pair of gripping levers, ad-

justable pivots for the levers mounted on the frame, and a pair of toggles slidably mounted on and guided by the frame for forcing the lower arms of the gripping levers toward each other, and a yoke pivotally connected to said toggles and slidable on the central frame, and means to lock the yoke to said central frame.

6; An improved grapple consisting of a frame having a'pin at its upper end, a head at its lower end and a central slot, a doubleended screw mounted in said head, a nut on each end ofthe' screw, a gripping lever pivoted between its ends on each nut and having an adjustable jaw at its lower end, a yoke extending along the frame and having a pinat its lower end extending throughthe slot in the frame, a toggle link for eachreve'r mounted on said pin and extending to its lever, pins mounted in said links on both sides of the gripping levers, and links extending from the pin at the upper end of the frame to pins on the first named toggle links whereby the links are connected.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

- HARRY E. SKELTON.

Witnesses:

EDWARD N. PAGELSEN, HUGO W. KREINRRING. 

